


Redwall's Belle

by Of_Princes_and_Savages



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV), Redwall Series - Brian Jacques
Genre: Alternate Universe - Animals, Fantasy in the way of mice and badgers fighting wars against wildcats and searats, Gen, I forgot to tag earlier, Mouse!Rumbelle, Redwall AU, and mousebabe!Swanfire
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:03:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6401605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Of_Princes_and_Savages/pseuds/Of_Princes_and_Savages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Belle, a mousemaid from Redwall Abbey, longs for adventure and hopes the quest to seek out the Badger Lady Regina will be her chance. And when she meets the mysterious crippled mouse Rumpelstiltskin and his young son Baelfire, she has a chance for more adventure than she ever bargained for...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Redwall's Belle

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea I was kicking around, and if you haven't heard about the Redwall book series, go check it out. It may be a might confusing to the uninitiated because of stuff like "paws and footpaws" instead of "hands and feet", and "anybeast" instead of "anyone", but it's all in the context, don't worry!

All her seasons, Belle had dreamed of an adventure. Any young one growing up in Mossflower knew of Redwall Abbey and her long, exciting history, it was only natural that the young creatures grew up dreaming of heroics, to be the next Martin the Warrior or Mariel of Redwall. One or two would even play at being a Badger Lord with their own retinue of perilous fighting-hares. Some outgrew their fantasies, others like David and Snow became grand adventurers with epic tales of their own to tell.

Belle was two seasons younger than the Protectors of Redwall. She'd had to hear about their great adventure to the South in pieces during the feast thrown in their honor upon their return. It did sting her pride a bit, as she'd been the one to translate the Loamscript on the tablet that started their travels in the first place, and yet she was overlooked entirely.

So with the threat of Zelena, a vicious wildcat, on the horizon, threatening to conquer their beloved home unless they secured the help of the Badger Lady Regina, Belle would not miss her opportunity a second time! She was determined to be as helpful as possible, drawing up a map to Salamandastron and studying past journey's to the mountain. She wouldn't be much use in a fight, perhaps, but she would do her best with the kitchen knife she'd purloined from Friar Tuck's kitchens.

However, thus far into her epic quest, Belle's main purpose had been to mind David and Snow's daughter.

The little fair-furred mousemaid, barely out of infancy, had invited herself on their adventure and somehow trailed them to the River Moss. And at that point it was too late to turn back, Snow insisted, and thrust her into Belle's paws as they boarded the shrew boats. Ordinarily, Emma was a delightful little mousebabe. She was bright and energetic and brave, but by the claw was she willful! Belle was inclined to think kindly of others, but she began to suspect that if Snow and David could find it in themselves to say "no" to their daughter once in awhile, Emma might be better for it.

Belle had her paws full that morning, trying to keep her young charge from dashing off to explore the woods while the grown beasts were "being boring" while they started packing up their camp from last night. Emma had taken up a dead stick and swung it around wildly as she charged-for the fifth time-into the undergrowth to slay imaginary wildcats.

" _Redwaaaallll_!"

It was to her own chagrin that Belle couldn't catch Emma in time to prevent her from vanishing into the woods. Belle dashed after the mousebabe as quickly as fast as her paws could take her, tripping over oak roots and thick grasses. However did that young one move so quickly? The blue-eyed mousemaid hopped over a fallen branch and stopped a moment, turning in a full circle. "Emma?" she called. "Emma, where are you? Oh! You're mum and dad are going to chop off both our tails if you don't come out here right now!"

A bush rustled behind her, and Belle whirled around and pounced on it. The third charge attempt had only been avoided by leaping over a bush and nearly tackling the persistent little thing, so she thought nothing about it.

Belle flung her paws around the plump little mouse in the bushes, both of them giving off a squeak as they tumbled across the ground. Just as Belle pulled back to check her charge for injuries, and give her a good dressing-down for running off, it occurred to her that the little mousebabe was not Emma at all.

Emma had light fur and hazel eyes, and this little one had darker fur and deep brown eyes. He squirmed away from Belle and sat down across from her, regarding her with big curious eyes, while the embarrassed mousemaid smiled sheepishly back.

"Oh, oh I do beg your pardon, you aren't who I was looking for at all. Did I hurt you at all?"

The little mouse shook his head with a big smile. "No marm, but I'd hate to be in the other beasts fur when you caught up with 'em!"

Belle giggled, then clapped a paw over her mouth as she remembered her purpose. "Oh my _goodness_! _Emma_! Have you seen a young mouse? She's about your age, carrying a stick for a sword-"

"Oh yes," he nodded. "I think Papa would've caught her by now, she was barrelin' towards our camp."

"Your camp?" Belle repeated. "Are you and your father travelling? Where to?"

Something small and furry collided with Belle's back and suddenly she was tumbling flat on her snout again. A familiar voice squeaked, "Belle! Belle there's a rat with a crooked footpaw and a warstaff camping in the woods, c'mon, I need reforcements!"

The little male mouse hopped up on his paws. "My papa's not a rat, we're mice!"

Emma puffed herself up, poking the male in his chest with her sword-stick. "Well he doesn't sound like any mouse I've ever heard! He sounds like a searat to me!"

"What would a searat be doin' camping in the woods?"

"Oh Emma," Belle sighed, gently pushing the stick aside. "What does your father say about pointing weapons at people?"

"To not to," Emma muttered sheepishly, dropping her weapon to her side.

"And what have I told you about manners, Bae?"

All three mice turned to face the newest voice. A slight mouse leaning on an ash staff smiled at them, wearing a rough linen cloak and a belt with a dagger around his waist. His light brown fur was speckled with silver and Belle caught herself returning his shy smile, as the mousebabe with the same brown eyes offered them a little bow.

"How do you do?" he intoned gravely, as though he had practiced. "My name is Baelfire, and it's nice to meet you."

"Bawlfur?" Emma crinkled her nose up, and Belle heard Baelfire's father chuckle.

The older mouse limped forwards, and the mousemaid noticed that his right paw was, indeed, crooked, as though it had been broken and hadn't set properly. It didn't keep him from offering a deep bow at the waist.

"If you find my son's name to be difficult, my dear, then you'll find mine impossible," he spread his unoccupied hand dramatically. "Rumpelstiltskin, at your service ladies."

Emma made a face. "Your names are too long. I'm Emma, and that's Belle. Are you a searat?"

A frown crossed Rumpelstiltskin's face. "I beg your pardon?"

"Emma!" Belle scolded, getting up from her position on the ground at last and giving a rueful look towards the stranger. "I apologize, sir. She's only a babe, she doesn't know any better. How do you, Rumblespiltskin?"

A somewhat bashful little smile crossed the older mouse's face and he offered her a timid pawshake. "Ah, it's _Rumpelstiltskin_ , Miss Belle, and you can call me Rumple."

Belle took his paw. It was callused and warm. He had a nice, crooked smile and warm eyes that were deep and dark, and his fur looked pleasantly soft--

His son tugged on her tunic.

"You can call me Bae, too, if you'd like!"

Emma seemed to take that as an invitation to grab Bae's other paw and pull him away. "Hey Bae, have you ever seen a real-life shrew boat before? C'mon! Daddy says they practic'ly fly down the stream!"

Bae's ears perked up and he trotted after Emma. "Do they really fly? Like on wings?"

"I dunno, maybe they'll let you ride if you ask nicely."

Belle stepped forwards to rein in her charge when Rumple put his paw on her shoulder. "Ah...Miss Belle? You're traveling by shrew boat? Where to, exactly?"

"Salamandastron," the mousemaid replied. "The Wicked Wildcat Zelena is threatening Mossflower. We need the help of the Badger Lady to defeat her."

Rumple pursed his lips. "Is there room for two more, aboard your boats?"

Something dark passed behind his eyes, but it was gone before Belle could examine it too closely.

"You'll have to talk with Emma's parents, they're leading our quest," Belle said carefully, then gave him a sheepish little smile. "To be honest, I haven't done much but mind little Emma since we set out from Redwall Abbey."

"Redwall Abbey?" Rumple's eyes widened without a trace of that darkness present. "You're from Redwall Abbey? My word! I was taking Bae with me to the abbey to ask for directions to the Badger Mountain!"

"You've heard of Redwall in the Northern Mountains?" Belle asked with her own surprised expression.

"Aye, prob'ly same as you knowing where I came from. Did the accent give me away, lass?"

Belle blushed beneath her fur. "Well, maybe a little...um, would you like to meet with Snow and David?"

"Aye, I would, thank you," Rumple smiled back. Belle didn't know him well enough to say if he was blushing, too, or not.

She was inclined to believe he was...

**Author's Note:**

> I may or may not write a longer, chaptered fic on this. (Probably will, but not soon.) I've decided on mouse!Rumbelle because I couldn't figure out how to make otter!Rumbelle happen, which is weird, yeah, but it just worked out that way. *shrugs*


End file.
